Automatic electric film cutter



A. W. MILLER AND W. L. CONKLIN.

AUTOMATIC ELECTRIC FILM CUTTER. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. I2, 1921.

Patented Aug. 8, 1922.

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AUTOMATIC ELECTRIC FILM CUTTER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT, I2, I92I.

Patented Aug. 8, 1922.

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ARTHUR WILHELM MILLER, OF ROSELLE PARK, AND WALTER LOUIS CONKLIN, OF

BOUNDIBROOK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNORS T0 PATHE EXCHANGE, INC, OF NEW- YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

AUTOMATIC ELECTRIC FILM CUTTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 8, 1922.

Application filed September 12, 1921. Serial No. 499,963.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that we, ARTH R VVILHELM MILLER and WALTER LOUIS CONKLIN, citi- Zens of the United States, residing, respectively, at Roselle Park and Boundbrook, counties of Union and Somerset, State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic- Electric Film Cutters; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Our invention relates to improvements in film printing apparatus, and is intended to provide means for automatically cutting the positive film, at the desired moment, as will be hereinafter described.

lVhen printing motion picture films the roll of unprinted (raw) film being longer than the film from which the print is made, there is always a certain amount of raw film wasted on accountof the machine not being stopped, or the raw filmnot being cut by hand, immediately after the last picture of the film being printed has passed in front of the light.

The purpose of this invention is to avoid this waste. in cutting the raw film.

The automatic film cutter is a device to be adapted on printing machines, the purpose of which is to avoid waste of raw film by cutting same automatically, immediately after the last picture has been printed.

This is done by means of a cutter placed in the path of travel of the raw film. This cutter is actuated by a cam set in motion by means of a clutch released by an electromagnet, thus connecting the cam with gears operated by the printing machine. The electromagnet releases the clutch upon the closing of an electric circuitby a switch actuate by a mutilation of the film from which.

the print is made, or by any other means.

Our invention will be more fully understood after reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like parts are indicated by similar reference symbols throughout the several views, and in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of the complete apparatus, parts being broken away.

Figure 2 shows a section along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, and looking in the direction of the arrows.

line 5-5 of Figure 1, and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 6 shows a section along the broken i line 66 ofFig, 1, and tion of the arrows.

Figure 7 shows a section along the line 'T7 of Fig. 6, and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 8 is an enlarged detail view with an electric circuit closing arrangement shown at the right of Figures 1 and 9; and

Figure 9 is a diagram showing the electric circuit closers used in the apparatus.

A represents a suitable frame work having the light box A enclosing the lights not shown, with the usual aperture A". A3 and A represent brackets on which certain parts looking in the direcare supported, as will be hereinafter de- B and in front of the light aperture A in the. usual way.

The feed wheel B" is driven by a driving arrangement not shown, which not being a part of our invention, will not be described.

C- represents the negative film which is provided near its end with a mutilation.

as for example the indentation c on one side thereof, as shown in F ig, 1. which indentation effects the closing of the electric circuit, as will be hereinafter fully described.

D represents a driving gear or pulley which is continuously driven in any convenient way while the machine is in operation. This gear or pulley D is mounted on a shaft D which carries a pinion D meshing in the ear wheel E on the shaft E. This shaft carries a pinion E meshing with the gear wheel F on the shaft F. This shaft F carries a disk F 2 which forms part of a friction clutch which will now be described.

This disk F is provided with an annular disk F 2 is fast on the shaft F and continuously rotates therewith. Opposite the disk- F and loosely mounted on the shaft F, is.a-similar disk G, provided on its outer portion with a cam and hub G, and on its inner face with an inset arcuate wedge or cam g of hardened metal, see Fi s. 1 and 7. Between these two disks F and and normally free to roll around in the annular channel 7", is the hard metal ball 9, wh ch is normally lifted out of. engagement with thecam g by means of the hook it at the end of the bell crank lever H, see Figs. 1 and 6, which bell crank lever is pivoted, as at h, and has its rounded arm h engaging in a socket i in the movable stem I which formspart of the comet the solenoid I, which is drawn up whenthe electric circuit is completed throu h the coils of said solenoids. The cam (5 engages one arm of the lever K, see Fig. 7, which is pivoted as at is and is connected at its other end to the rod K, see Figs. 1 and 7 which rod K passes loosely through the opening m in the block m, see Fig. 2, carried by the latch lever M. The

- rod K has an adjustable releasing collar is located slightly below the block m, as shown in Fig. 1, when the parts are in thenormal position as shown in said figure.

This latch lever M carries an adjustable weight M on its free end which may be clamped at the desired position by the clamp screw m, see Figs. 1 and 2. This latch lever is pivoted as at 411?, see Fig. 3, and carries at its end a hook M having a wedge face m The cutting implement consists of shears, with a swingingblade N and a fixed blade P, see Figs. 1, 2 and 3. The swinging blade N is pivoted as at n, and'has a short arm n engaging the cutter operating spring 0, and a projecting end 91, for hand manipulation when desired. The fixed blade P, see Fig. 3,

is provided with a cutting edge 1;- which coacts with the cutting edge 12, to sever the film, as will be hereinafter described.

Q, represents .an auxiliary circuit closer contained in a box Q and having a projecting arm 9 which is engziged by the free end n of the cutting blade when the said cutting blade is in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2; The spring 9 normally keeps this circuit closer in the open position, as shown in Fig. 41, until it is pressed upon by the free end of the cutting blade as just described. r 1 1 The electric circuit isnormally completed by the movement of the negative film which will now be described.

As before stated, the film-C, see Fig. 1, is provided not'far fromits end with an in dentation c in the side thereof. This indentation a should be so located towards the end of the negative film that when the positive film is cut, as will be hereinafter described, the ends of the two films will be practically coincident, after-the printing operation.

, In'order to close the circuit, we provide the arrangement indicated to the right of Figs. 1 and 9, and shown in detail in Fig. 8, in which R representsa frame provided with a slot 1* through which the negative film,

passes before it reaches, the positive film. This frame R is provided with a swinging door R, hinged as at r, and provided at the opposite end with a handle 1' and a catch 1' This frame is provided with a project' 1 ing lug T in which is pivoted, as at F, the lever T which has a bent arm carrying a roller t, which roller is'normally pressed against the edge of the negative film by means of the light spring U. This lever T carries near its end opposite the roller a contact t, which isnormally slightly separated from the contact 6 carried by the binding post 2%, connected to one of the terminals of the circuit, the other terminal being connected to the lever T. The edge of the film will normally press the rollert outwards,

and separate the contact t from the contact t but when the roller t is caused by. the

spring U to press into the notch 0 in the edge of the negative film, the circuit will be completed through the contacts t and t and this will close the circuit through the solenoid coils I and will actuate the cutting mechanism, as Will be hereinafter described. The operation of the device is as follows:-

Suppose the parts to be'in the normal position shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the shaft D to be in rotation, and-the positive and negative films to be drawn through the printing apparatus in the usual way; as soon as the roller t registers with the indentation 0 of the film C, the electric circuit will be closed through the solenoid, and this will draw the solenoid core up, swinging the bell crank lever H outwards, causing the claw h to release the ball 0. The contlnued rotation of the disk F will cause this ball to ride up on the wedge cam g, which will couple the disks F 2 and G together, and cause the disk G to rotate, thus rotating the cam G. The parts are so arranged that the cam G can only make one revolution. This cam G will rock the lever K, lifting the rod K" and with it the collar is. This collar will engage the block m and will lift the arm M, releasing the hook M from engagement with the short arm n of the pivoted cutting blade N. This will release the cutting. blade, and under the action of the' spring 0 it will swing quickly to the shearing position, thus severing the positive films as it is stretched between the toothed wheels B and B The two films will now be drawn together through the printing apparatus and a new negative film may be threaded into the machine, and the raw or unused remnant of the old positive film may be threaded and fed to the machine as before.

After the positive film has been severed. the indentation c of the negative film will quickly pass the roller t and this roller will ride up again on the edge of the'negative film and'separate the contact 1" from the contact t breaking the electric circuit. This will de-energize the solenoid, releasing the bell crank lever H and causing the hook it to once more engage the ball g and hold it clear of the wedge cam g. This will disconnect the disc G from the disc F and the cam G making one revolution only, the lever K will permit the rod K and the collar is to fall and the lever M, under the action of the weight M, will swing back to the initial position shown in Fig. 1.

Now, if the swinging blade N be grasped by the handle a and swung against the action of the spring 0 to the position shown in Fig. 3, the short arm n will wedge the face m of the claw M down until said arm passes said claw, and then the weighted arm M will bring the claw back to the engaging position shown in Fig. 3, and the parts will all be set for another automatic operation.

If, for any reason, it is desired to cut the positive film before this is done automatically by the action of the negative film, itwill be sufficient to lift up the end of the lever M, releasing the hook M and allowing the cutting blade to swing to the closed position under the action of the spring 0.

It will be obvious that various modifications might be made in the herein described apparatus, and in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts which could be used without departing from the spirit of our invention; and we do not mean to limit the invention to such details except as particularly pointed out in the claims.

Having thus described our invention what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. In a cinema film printing apparatus, means for cutting the positive film, comprisin a spring operated shears, means for normally holding said shears in the open position, means for passing the positive film between the blades of said shears independent means for feeding the negative film, an electric circuit and means controlled thereby for releasing said shears, and a circuit closer controlled by the negative film for antomatically closing said electric circuit.

2. In a cinema film printing apparatus, means for cutting the positive film, comprising a spring operated shears, means for normally holding said shears in the open position, means for passing the positive film between the blades of said shears independent means for feeding the negative film, an

electric circuit, a solenoid, and means controlled by said solenoid for releasing said shears, and a circuit closer controlled by the negative film for automatically closing said electric circuit, and operating said solenoid.

3. In a cinema film printing apparatus, means for cutting the positive film, comprising a shears having a fixed blade and a spring operated swinging blade, means for normally holding said swinging blade in the open position, means for passing the positive film between the blades of said shears iridependent means for feeding the negative film, an electric circuit and means controlled thereby for releasing said swinging blade, and a circuit closer controlled by the negative film for automatically closing said electric circuit, and thereby releasing said swinging blade.

4. In a cinema film printing apparatus, means for cutting the positive film, comprising a spring operated shears, a latch normally holding said shears in the open position, means for passing the positive film between the blades of said shears independent means for feeding the negative film, an electric circuit, a solenoid, and means controlled by said solenoid for lifting said latch and releasing said shears, and a circuit closer controlled by the negative film for automatically closing said electric circuit and energizing said solenoid.

5. In a cinema film printing apparatus,

means for cutting the positive film, comprising a shears having a fixed blade and a 1 spring operated swinging blade, means for normally holding said swinging blade in the open position, means for passing the positive film between the blades of said shears independent means for feeding the negative film, an electric circuit, a solenoid, and means controlled by said solenoid for releasing said swinging blade, and a circuit closer controlled by the negativefilm for automatically closing said electric circuit 11 and energizing said solenoid, and thereby releasing said swinging blade.

6. In a cinema film printing apparatus, the combination with separate and independent means for feeding the positive and negative films, of means for cutting the positive film, comprising a spring operated shears, means for normally holding said shears in the open position, means for passing the positive film between the blades of 12 said shears, an electric circuit, a solenoid, and means controlled by said solenoid for releasing said shears, and a circuit closer controlled by the negative film for automatically closing said electric circuit and energizing said solenoid.

'7. In a cinema film printing apparatus, the combination with separate and independent means for feeding the positive and ne at-ive films, of means for cutting the positive film,comprisin g a shears having a fixed blade and a spring operated swingingblade, means for normally holding said swinging blade in the open position, means forpassing the positive film between the blades of said shearspan electric circuitand means controlled thereby for releasing said swinging blade, and a circuit closer controlled by the negative film for automatically closing said electric circuit, and thereby releasing said swinging blade.

8. In a cinema film printing apparatus, means for cutting the positive film,'comprising a shears having a fixed blade and a spring operated swinging blade, a latch normally holding said swinging blade in the open position, means for passing the positive film between the blades of said shears, an electric circuit, a solenoid, and means controlled by said solenoid for lifting said latch and releasing said swinging blade means for ing said swinging blad feeding the negative film, and atcircuit closer controlled by the negative film for automatically closing said electric circuit and energizing said solenoid, and thereby releas- 9. In a cinema film printing apparatus, means for cutting the positive film, comprising a spring operated shears, a latch normally holding said shears in the open position, means for passing the positive film between the blades of said shears, an electric circuit, a solenoid, and means controlled by said solenoid for lifting. said latch and releasing said shears, and [a circuit closer I provided with a roller adapted to engage a positive and negative films,

notch in the side of the negative film for automatically closing said. electric circuit and energizing said solenoid.

10. In a cinema film printing apparatus, the combination with means for feeding the of means for cutting the positive film, comprising a spring operated shears, means for normally holding said shears in the open'position, means for passing the positive film between the blades of said shears, anelec'tric circuit, a solenoid, and means controlled by said solenoid for releasing said shears, and "a circuit closerprovided with a roller adapted to engage a notch in the side of the negative film for automatically closing said electric,, circuit.

and energizing said solenoid.

v 11., In a cinema film printing apparatus, the combination with means for feeding the positive and negative films, of means for cutting the positive film, comprising'a shears having a fixed blade and a spring operated swinging blade, means for normally holding said swinging blade in the open position, means for passing the positive film between the blades of'said shears, an electric circuit and means controlled thereby for releasing said swinging blade, and a circuit closer providediwith a roller adapted to engage a -a clutchniember, a stub notch in the side of the negative film for automatically closing said electric circuit, and thereby releasing said swinging blade. 12. In a cinema film printing apparatus, means for cutting the positive film, comprising a spring operated shears, a latch normally holding said shears in the open position, means for passing the positive film between the blades of said shears, an electric circuit, a solenoid, a driving shaft carrying shaft carrying a cam and a. second clutch member, a lever engaging said cam, means controlled by said lever for lifting said latch, means controlled by said solenoid for connecting saidclutch members, and a circuit closer controlled by the negative film for automatically closing said electric circuit and energizing said solenoid.

13. In a cinema film means for cutting the'pos-itive film, comprising a shears having a fixed blade and a spring operated swinging blade, a. latch normally holding said swinging blade in the open position, means for passing the positive film between the blades of said shears, an electric circuit, a solenoid, a driving shaft carrying a clutch member, a stub shaft carrying a cam and a second clutch member, a lever engaging said cam, means controlled by said lever for lifting'said latch, means controlled by said solenoid for connecting said clutch members, and -a\ circuit closer controlled by the negative film for automatically closing" said electric circuit and energizing said solenoid, and thereby releasing said swinging blade.

14. In a cinema film printing apparatus, the-combination with means for feeding the positive and negative films, of means for cutting the positive film, comprising a spring operated shears, a latch for normally holding said shears in the open position, means for passing the positive film between the blades of said shears, an electric circuit,

printing apparatus,

member, a stub shaft carrying a cam and a secondclutch member, a lever engaging said cam, means controlled by said lever for'liftin said latch, means controlled by said so enoid for connecting said clutch members,

aand ia circuit closer controlled the negative film for automatically closing said elec tric circuit and energizing said solenoid.

15. In a cinema film printing apparatus, the combinationwith means for feeding the positive and negative films, of means for cutting the positive film, comprising a shears having a fixed blade and a spring operated swinging blade, a latch for normally holding said swinging blade in the open position means for'passing the positive film between the blades of said shears, an electric circuit, a

solenoid, a driving shaft carrying a clutch member, astub shaft carrying a cam and a second clutch member, a lever engaging said cam, means controlled by said lever for lift ing said latch, means controlled by said solenoid for connecting said clutch members, and a circuit closer controlled by the negative film for automatically closing said electric circuit, and thereby releasing said swinging blade.

16. In a cinemafilm printing apparatus, means for cutting the-positive film, comprising a spring operated shears, a latch normally holding said shears in the open position, means for passing the positive film between the blades of said shears, an electric circuit, a solenoid, a driving shaft carrying a clutch member, a stub shaft carrying a cam and a second clutch member, a lever engaging said cam, means controlled by said lever for lifting said latch, means controlled by said solenoid for connecting said clutch members, and a circuit closer provided with a roller adapted to engage a notch in the side of the negative film for automatically closing said electric circuit and energizing said solenoid.

17. In a cinema film printing apparatus, means for cutting the positive film, comprising a shears having a fixed blade and a spring operated swinging blade, a latch normally holding said swinging blade in the open position, means for passing the positive film between the blades of said shears, an electric circuit, a solenoid, a driving shaft carrying a clutch member, a stub shaft carrying a cam and a second clutch member, a lever engaging said cam, means controlled by said lever for lifting said latch, means controlled by said solenoid for connecting said clutch members, and a circuit closer provided with a roller adapted to engage a notch in the side of the negative film for automatically closing said electric circuit and energizing said solenoid, and thereby releasing said swinging blade.

18. In a cinema film printing apparatus, the combination with means for feeding the 1 positive and negative films, of means for'cutting the positive film, comprising a spring operated shears, means for normally holding said shears in the open position, means for passing the positive film between the blades of said shears, an electric circuit, a solenoid, a driving shaft carrying a clutch member, a stub shaft carrying a cam and a second clutch member, a lever engaging said cam, means controlled by said lever for lifting said latch, means controlled by said s0le-' noid for connecting said clutch-members, and a circuit closer provided with a roller adapted to engage a notch in the side of the negative film for automatically closing said electric circuit and energizing said solenoid.

19. In a cinema film printing apparatus, the combination with means for feeding the positive and negative films, of means for outting the positive film, comprising a shears havinga fixed blade and a spring operated swinging blade, means for normally holding said swinging blade in the open position, means for passing the positive film between the blades of said shears, an electric circuit, a solenoid, a driving shaft carrying a clutch member, a stubshaft carrying a cam and a second clutch member, a lever engaging said cam, means'controlled by said lever for lifting said latch, means controlled by said solenoid for connecting said clutch members, and a circuit closer provided with a roller adapted to engage a notch inthe side of the negative film for automatically closing said electric circuit, and thereby releasing said swinging blade.

the combination with means for feeding the positivesand negative films, of means for cutting the positive film, comprising a spring operated shears, a latch for normally holding said shears in the open position, means for passing the positive film between the blades of said shears, an electric circuit, a solenoid, a driving shaft carrying a clutch member, a stub shaft carrying a cam and a second clutch member, a wedge segment carried by said second clutch member a lever engaging said cam, means controlled by said lever for lifting said latch, a ball mounted between said clutchmembers and adapted to engage said wedge segment, and to connect the two clutch members, a hook operated by said solenoid and normally lifting said ball out of engagement with said wedge segment, and a circuit closer controlled by the negative film for automatically closing said electric circuit and energizing I said solenoid.

21. In a cinema film printing apparatus, the combination with means for feeding the positive and negative films, of meansfor cutting the positive film, comprising a shears having a fixed blade and a spring operated swinging blade, a latch .for normally holding said swinging blade in the open position, means for passing the positive film between the blades of said shears, an electric circuit, a solenoid, a drivingshaft carrying a clutch member, a stub shaft carrying a cam and a second clutch member, a wedge segment carried by said second clutch member, a lever engaging said cam, means controlled by said lever for lifting said latch, a ball mounted between said clutch members and adapted to engage said wedge segment and to connect the two clutch members, a hook operated by said solenoid and normally lifting said ball' out of engagement with saidwedge segment, and a circuitcloser controlled by the negative film for automatically .closing .said electric circuit and energizing said solenoid, and thereby releasing said swinging blade.

2-2. In a cinema film printing apparatus, means for cutting the positive film, comprising a spring operated shears, a latch normally holding said shears in the open position, means for passing the positive-film between the blades-of said shears, an electric circuit, a solenoid, a driving shaft 'carrying a clutch member, a stub shaft carrying a cam and a second clutch member, a wedge segment carried by said second clutchmember, a lever engaging said cam,

- means controlled by said lever for lifting said latch, a ball mounted between said clutch members and adapted to engage said wedge segment, and to connect the two clutch members, a hook operated by said solenoid and normally lifting said ball out of engagement with said wedge segment, and a circuit closer controlled by the negative film for automatically closing said electric circuit and energizing said solenoid.

23. In a cinema film printing apparatus,

. means for cutting the positive film, comprising a shears having a fixed blade and a spring operated swinging blade, a latch normally holding said swinging bladein the open position, means for passing the positive film between the blades of said shears, an electric circuit, a solenoid, a driving shaft carrying a clutch member, a stub shaft car rying a cam and a second clutch member, a wedge segment carried by said second clutch member, a lever engaging said cam, means controlled by said lever for lifting said latch, a'ball mounted between said clutch members and adapted to engage said wedge segment, and to connect the two clutch members, a hook operated by said solenoid and normally liftingsaid ball out of engagement with said Wedge segment, and a circuit closer controlled by the negative film for automaticallyclosing said electric cir cuit and energizing said solenoid, and thereby releasing said swinging blade.

ARTHUR VILHELM MILLER. WALTER- LOUIS CONKLIN. 

